Inspired by billionaire Jensen Huang, he chose mechanical engineering to ride the wave of physical AI.
Nguyen Thanh Long, a male student, chose to study mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama (USA) with a full scholarship worth nearly $160,000 (equivalent to 4.2 billion VND).
Long was accepted into eight universities in the US, receiving scholarships ranging from 60% to 100%, totaling over 15 billion VND. Specifically, the universities Long was accepted into include the University of Alabama, the University of South Florida, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, the University of Texas at Dallas, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, and Texas A&M University.
Long and his family's approach to choosing a university and major wasn't overly focused on the school's ranking. Instead, they concentrated on universities with strong engineering programs, ranked among the top 100-200 universities in the US, and offering numerous scholarships for international students.
After careful consideration, Long chose to major in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama. According to Long, this major will allow him to fully utilize his abilities as a physics student, as well as his love for physics and mathematics that he has had since middle school.
Previously, while following news about the development of artificial intelligence (AI), Long learned that the world was about to enter the fourth phase of AI, which is "physical AI." At that point, AI will not only process abstract data, but will begin to master fundamental physical laws in life such as friction, inertia, cause and effect, etc.
"Physical AI" will be integrated into physical entities, specifically robots, to meet diverse needs and help solve the global labor shortage problem. These are also predictions recently made by my idol – billionaire Jensen Huang, founder of Nvidia.
Jackie Chan with his classmates from the specialized physics class (Photo: Provided by the interviewee).
From a student who scored just above the passing mark to the head of the specialized physics department.
When Long first started attending Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for Gifted Students, he admitted to feeling insecure because his entrance exam scores were only just enough to get into the physics specialization. This made him worried that he would fall behind many of his classmates in terms of academic ability.
Long's shyness caused him to become withdrawn at the beginning of 10th grade. Towards the end of 10th grade, Long befriended an older male student who encouraged him to try out various extracurricular activities, saying, "If you don't try, you'll never know what you're capable of."
Later, the school's vibrant extracurricular activities, as well as the friendliness of his classmates in the physics specialization class, gradually changed Long. He wanted to step out of his comfort zone, experiment with new things, and gain more experience to better understand himself.
Long changed to truly immerse himself in the activities, and eventually, he became more confident. In 11th grade, Long was elected head of the Physics specialized class, contributing to the class achieving impressive results in the school's collective activities.
Also in his 11th grade year, after winning a silver medal at the national level, Long decided to go to Indonesia to participate in the Asian Mathematics and Science Olympiad (ASMOPSS) as a way to broaden his horizons.
Although he didn't win, this important experience made him want to study abroad. At this point, Long decided to quickly prepare his study abroad application even though he estimated he only had about six months left.
Jackie Chan with his mother (left) and his homeroom teacher (right) (Photo: Provided by the artist).
Leverage ChatGPT as a learning assistant.
I decided to start with the SAT, a standardized test used to assess students' readiness for college, especially at universities in the US. Long prepared for the SAT by self-studying using materials, attending extra classes at a center, and practicing with sample tests on websites. I prioritized consistent daily self-study. In the end, I achieved an SAT score of 1490/1600.
Once Long had identified an effective study method for the SAT, he found that self-studying for the IELTS exam became much simpler. At this point, he confidently studied on his own using materials and practiced with online tests. He listened and read extensively to increase his vocabulary and improve his language reflexes.
Long often uses Chat GPT to self-assess and self-correct his writing. In the IELTS exam, Long achieved a score of 7.0. He decided to stop at this score, not continue studying for the exam, and instead focus on other activities.
For classroom learning, Long actively studies to improve his average grade to 9.6/10. To improve his academic performance at school, Long is determined to achieve high scores on tests, which requires concentration during studying and good test-taking skills.
I focus on studying in class, making sure I grasp the knowledge thoroughly as I learn it. When reviewing the material to prepare for tests, everything becomes much simpler.
For extracurricular activities that would strengthen his application, Long had already been actively involved in many before, so he had no shortage of interesting things to showcase about himself.
In his essays submitted to the schools, Long wrote about his transformation, from a shy, insecure, and withdrawn teenager to a confident and proactive participant in class and school activities.
Long said that in the future, he wants to become more confident, learn to acknowledge and appreciate his own efforts, and reduce the amount of psychological pressure he puts on himself.
Ms. Pham Vu Bich Hang is a physics teacher who served as Long's homeroom teacher for all three years of high school. Ms. Hang recalls that in the early days of 10th grade, Long was quite shy and reserved compared to his classmates. However, he gradually integrated into the class and the specialized physics program through various extracurricular events at the school.
Long demonstrates a strong commitment to the team and possesses excellent leadership skills. In addition, Long is very diligent in his studies, achieving the title of outstanding student and holding a respectable ranking in his class.
Long's journey during his high school years was described by Ms. Hang as one of a burning desire to conquer challenges, a relentless pursuit of learning, and self-improvement. What particularly impressed Ms. Hang about Long was his humility, his ability to understand, and his subtlety in expressing himself to his friends and teachers.
The University of Alabama - where Jackie Chan will be studying for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering (Photo: UA).
Stay strong with... iced tea on the sidewalk.
Long shared that he has a fairly strong mindset; no matter what problems he encounters in his studies and life, he can motivate himself and gradually find ways to overcome them. His habit is to sit and drink iced tea on the sidewalk whenever he feels down. Sitting quietly and observing the street and the people passing by helps him feel relaxed, allowing him to calmly deal with the problem.
Long doesn't like to share much; when faced with difficulties, he prefers to sit down and reflect on the problem to figure out a solution.
Long's way of relieving stress is to sit and drink iced tea on the sidewalk (Photo: Provided by the interviewee).
Long set deadlines and a to-do list to solve the problem. He broke down the tasks and prioritized them.
Creating reasonable action plans is the secret to Long's ability to reduce stress in his studies and life.
Long noticed that American universities, when awarding scholarships, are interested in the diverse experiences of the applicants.
From these experiences, applicants will have a stronger application and essays to help the admissions committee see their strengths.
For students who are trying to understand themselves, Long believes that we can only truly understand ourselves through experience.
For example, discovering what we are passionate about and interested in helps us better understand our own abilities and personality.
American universities pay close attention to this, believing that hobbies and interests reveal important information about an applicant. For those of you also pursuing scholarships to study abroad, Long advises you to take time to reflect on your hobbies to find meaning and purpose from them.
Essentially, the journey of growing up is a journey of experience; the more we dare to experiment, the more we will understand our own capabilities and be surprised by our own abilities.
Long believes that on the journey of growing up, there are many hidden potentials waiting to be discovered. Long's advice to younger students who wish to study abroad with scholarships is: Be brave and experiment; you will understand yourself and grow from there.
Long feels that he is also on a journey of self-discovery, and he believes he still has untapped potential. In the future, he will experience more to better understand himself.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nam-sinh-huong-noi-va-hanh-trinh-gianh-tong-hoc-bong-hon-15-ty-dong-cua-my-20250728002841799.htm
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